Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is coming back to Maryland.
Chances are if it’s not the same message, it will be one just like it.
The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) has announced that RFK Jr., which it describes as “one of the nation’s foremost activists on environmental issues,” will keynote the opening general session of its 2008 Congress and Exposition, to be held Oct. 14-18 at the Baltimore Convention Center.
Nearly 10,000 park and recreation leaders, advocates and suppliers are expected to attend.
That’s considerably more than were on hand for RFK Jr.’s first venture — at least in recent years — into Maryland last November when he also “keynoted” what was billed as a Poultry Summit in Salisbury.The event, staged by Kennedy’s Waterkeeper Alliance, provided a forum for the son of Bobby to lash out at the poultry industry for despoiling the Chesapeake Bay.
He got out of town in a hurry, but in his wake, his retinue of lawyers filed a lawsuit against the Maryland Department of Agriculture to force into the public domain the nutrient management plans of the state’s farmers.
The National Recreation and Park Association, which Kennedy will address, says it is “a national nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing park, recreation and conservation efforts that enhance quality of life for all people. Through its network, more than 21,000 recreation and park professionals and citizens, NRPA encourages the promotion of healthy lifestyles, recreation initiatives, and conservation of natural and cultural resources.”
Katie Grove Coffroad, interim executive director of NRPA, said the organization is recommitting itself to advancing its conservation efforts and that having RFK Jr. as its keynote speaker “makes a strong statement about the need for environmental leadership through parks and recreation.”
The NRPA is going all out to hype their keynoter.
A press release said: “Mr. Kennedy’s reputation as a resolute defender of the environment stems from a litany of successful legal actions. He was named one of Time Magazine’s “Heroes for the Planet” for his success in helping Riverkeeper lead the fight to restore the Hudson River. The group’s achievement helped spawn more than 130 Waterkeeper organizations across the globe.”
The problem is — and NRPA may not be aware of this — that RFK Jr. left a bad taste in a lot of mouths here in the Mid-Atlantic, including many of those involved in environmental causes — because his speech in Salisbury was so vitriolic and in such poor taste.
As one observer remarked, after his 30 minute rant in Salisbury “the Kennedy reputation through the years, has been one of charm ... he was charmless.”
He apparently came to support the effort to “save the Bay,” but many said he did much more harm than good. That reputation will precede him into Baltimore in October.
By the way, registration for the 2008 NRPA Congress will open May 1.
If you’re thinking of taking in the keynote address, you can get more information by calling 1-800-626-6772. Could be worth a listen.